Breakfast Tuesday: Biscuit or Scone? (Vegan)

March 29, 2011

I’ve been on the lookout for a versatile breakfast biscuit recipe since last month and the reason I haven’t settled on one yet is because I have very specific qualifications. My biscuit needs to be sweet. It needs to have easily adaptable batter; some days you bake them plain and other days you add fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. It needs to blur the border of scone and biscuit, having a fluffy interior and sweet crusty exterior. The biscuits needs to have enough flavor and texture to stand alone but accepts jam, honey, and other sweet breakfast-y condiments. I know, I know, fat chance, right?

Wrong! You can imagine my excitement when coming across this recipe. It was originally titled “banana biscuits” but I knew immediately after skimming the recipe that it was, or at least could be, exactly what I’ve been searching for this past month (and perhaps all my life, but let’s not exaggerate… too much). I geared up and starting switching up ingredients, adding and subtracting mix-ins, and was not in any way disappointed. These biscuits border on scone, but have enough fluffy center to attract all those scone-haters. They aren’t cloyingly sweet, but the brown sugar and cinnamon sugar dusting add just enough sweetness that us sugar addicts need in the morning.

My room mate walked into the kitchen, grabbed one, and continued with her morning routine. Not five minutes later she peeks her head into the kitchen again and asks sweetly, “Can I have another, please?” But of course! Take as many as you want! Happy Breakfast Tuesday!

*For mix-ins you should have a scant one cup total; seems like these biscuits were designed to hold whatever mix-in your heart desires. I made a few biscuits each plain, blueberry, banana, and chocolate chip, all sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and all of them not only baked for the same amount of time but also held together nicely.

2. In a large bowl, whisk or sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3. Add milk, vanilla, canola oil, and desired mix-ins to flour mixture and stir just until mixture comes together. Batter should be thick and sticky; if it isn’t add the extra two tablespoons nondairy milk.

5. Bake each sheet in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. (The recipe says 20 minutes, but mine were very much done by 15.)

6. Cool on sheets for a minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Biscuits are best served the same day they are made, but can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 days. I plan on freezing half of mine, already baked, and warming them up in a 375 degree F oven as needed.